John Wilkerson

President, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen

  1. Home Page
  2. Search
Download Biography Download Photo

John Wilkerson was named President of Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen in July 2018. John, who is also a member of Darden Restaurants’ Executive Team, leads a company with more than 180 restaurants, nearly 16,000 team members and $700 million in annual sales.

John has demonstrated strong leadership with a track record of success throughout his 30-year career with Darden. Most recently, he served as President of Bahama Breeze, where he developed and executed against a strategic plan that continuously delivered same-restaurant sales growth, improved the guest experience and transformed the Bahama Breeze culture.

John began his career with Darden as an hourly crew member at Red Lobster before entering the Manager in Training (MIT) program and ultimately being promoted to General Manager. He transitioned to the Restaurant Support Center six years later as Sr. Financial Analyst for Red Lobster. But operations was always his passion — John has held multiple operations leadership roles over the course of his career.

John holds two Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of North Alabama – one in Finance and the other in Economics.

  1. Home Page
  2. Search

Olive Garden’s Kelly Lynch Named WFF 2025 Change Maker

February 25, 2025

Olive Garden and Darden are proud to announce Kelly Lynch, Divisional Vice President, has been named a Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) 2025 Change Maker.

At this year’s WFF Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas, industry leaders gathered to celebrate individuals who are driving meaningful change within their organizations. The Change Maker award recognizes rising leaders who propel their personal career advancement while championing opportunities for others to grow and succeed in the foodservice industry.

“Kelly is an exceptional leader who continuously uplifts those around her,” said Shane Elrod, SVP of Operations, Olive Garden. “She is passionate about developing future leaders, creating opportunities for growth and building a strong culture in all of her restaurants. This recognition is a testament to the impact she has made on so many within Olive Garden and the restaurant industry.”

Kelly began her journey with Olive Garden in 2010 as a server in Westbury, NY, and has since held various roles that span operations. Most recently, she was promoted to Divisional Vice President for the New York division, overseeing operations for more than 80 restaurants, including the iconic Times Square location.

A champion for talent development, Kelly has been instrumental in advancing women leaders throughout the organization. During her time as an Operations HR Manager, she launched the Divisional Women’s Forum, providing mentorship and leadership development opportunities for restaurant managers and General Managers. Her commitment to coaching and supporting her teams has resulted in numerous promotions and some of the highest engagement scores across Olive Garden.

“I’m incredibly honored to be named a Change Maker by WFF,” said Kelly. “I’ve been fortunate to have incredible mentors throughout my career, and I strive to pay that forward by creating opportunities for others to grow, succeed and feel empowered to lead.”

John Martin

President, Specialty Restaurant Group

  1. Home Page
  2. Search
Download Biography Download Photo

John Martin is President of Darden Restaurants’ Specialty Restaurant Group, which includes two fine dining brands – The Capital Grille and Eddie V’s – as well as Seasons 52, Bahama Breeze and Yard House. A member of Darden’s Executive Team, John has served as President of The Capital Grille since 2004, President of Eddie V’s since 2014 and President of Seasons 52 since 2018. He was named President of the Specialty Restaurant Group in August 2020.

Together, the brands that make up the Specialty Restaurant Group have more than 260 locations and annual sales of $2.2 billion.

John joined The Capital Grille in 1990 as a manager at the first restaurant in Providence, RI, and held several positions of increasing responsibility before being promoted to Vice President of Operations in 2001. He was named President of the company three years later.

John started his restaurant career in 1986 at Hemenway’s Seafood Grill and Oyster Bar, which was founded by Ned Grace, who also started The Capital Grille and several other restaurants.

John holds a bachelor’s degree in Food Service Management, as well as an honorary doctorate in Business Administration and Food Service Management from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, where he is also a member of the University’s Board of Trustees.